Time to Reflect
by Just Chuck
Summary: Chapter 5 is up. This is a missing moment from the end of Season four.
1. The night before

Hi Guys, gals and nerds of all ages.

This is something I wrote after a co-worker just watched the final episode of season two, and since I decided to finish off Crappy day (maybe two more chapters to try and work out some bugs) before I post it I thought I would put this up. They are new to FF and I wanted to give them something that had all three of their fave episodes of season two in it. I think you can figure out that three that are referenced. This is un beta'ed, and a quick coffee high write, so forgive the grammar and spelling mistakes.

Also I wanted feedback if I should continue with more crap, or let it get washed away in the rain of better stories. I'm gotten little feedback so if the crap is getting old, just let me know

I'm going to try making a poll this week. Please consider voting on if I should continue.

One last thing, I have decided that I should spread the crap, so I am putting something in the WHO ARE YOU CHALLENGE. On nobody's request. I just wanted to lower the quality of the authors with my special brand of crap.

USUAL DISCLAIMER – I own nothing. I make no money, and I am probably insane.

--

It's almost three in the morning and he stood at the front door of the house. He is never one to be worried before a mission but this one just didn't feel right. Going in alone or without a plan made him more uncomfortable than he would ever admit to himself. Especially since he only had five guns and none of them bigger than a handgun.

Slowly he tried the door and finding it unlocked he opened it and John Casey peered inside.

"Awww nuts" came a voice from the far corner of the darken room

(Grunt #281 - Ah ha) "I thought I would find you here. I was surprised when I found out that you bought the three around it as well. You covered your tracks badly, it nearly took me three minutes to figure it out. But why this place?"

"It's complicated."

(Grunt# 116 - Annoyed) "When isn't it, why here?"

"We were happy here Casey. Normal" A table lamp comes on reveals Sarah sitting in a large overstuffed chair in the living room of the house that she and Chuck played the "married couple in the suburbs." She is holding a wine glass in one hand and several bottles are scattered on the table beside her. She points to a chair opposite her "Glasses are in the box over on by the fireplace, I never got them unpacked. And the fridge has more wine in it, grab another bottle."

Casey gets a glass and the bottle and collapses into the other chair.

'clank' Casey looks down, the gun he had hidden in his right sock fell out. He shrugged. _"oh crap, whatever."_

"Ok Walker, as we get sloshed you want to tell me why are you in the suburbs and how did I get stuck with listening to nerd whimper for the last four hours."

"I was not going to leave him Casey. I tried. I couldn't."

"Heck Walker. That is a 'stop the presses' news flash if I ever heard one. Now tell me something that I didn't know. I was planning to crash with you two and find a way to get Ellie to invite me for Christmas dinner this year. Doesn't answer the question Walker, why the disappearing act and why here?"

Sarah takes out her knife and in one quick and carefree motion, slices the top off the bottle of wine in one clean stroke. "Didn't get around to get a cork screw." She shrugs and then pours two glasses.

"Where is he?"

(half grunt, half laugh)"Castle, locked in a cell after taking some mint knock out spray. Just to make it a bit more challenging if he woke up I place him in a straight jacket and tied him to a bunk. But don't worry Walker, I turned on the TV to the golf channel to help him sleep, or to keep him company. Whatever. If his new kung fu flashes gets him out of that one then next time I will have to hang him by his toes somewhere"

Sarah drains her glass in one shot. "Did he say why he uploaded it again?"

(Grunt #324 - Are you stupid?) "Don't play the dumb blonde, it really is not you." Seeing the lost look in Sarah's face he gunted again "He is what makes a hero great. We both know why he really did it. He has so much self doubt that he truly thought that you was going to leave. Truth be told Walker he could not live without you, or you him. When the time came, he had a choice. He took the one that made sure that you stayed in his life. Whatever else he may claim. Honour, doing the right thing, to make sure Bryce didn't die in vain, all valid reasons, but not what his heart was telling him."

Casey leaned forward towards the other chair.

'clang" there goes the left-under-the-arm gun.

"What he needs is you. Running off only made things worse for him. He actually thought Beckman had you reassigned. He even called her and asked where she sent you. Even after he was told that the three of us were ordered on stress leave for a week he was sure that you were never coming back."

John pours two more glasses. "So the question is still there. Why here?"

"I asked Beckman for the house after the mission and she agreed after much convincing. The other houses were sold at government auction and I bought them under my old alias, Jenny Burton. It was to be a surprise for Chuck. He wanted another night here and I got a case of cold feet. I thought that maybe w- he could live here, start a new life when he got the intersect out of his head.. Chuck would want Ellie be close and when Devin and her have kids then they could have a great yard to play in. Morgan would need a place with Anna, lets face it, he will not be separated from his 'life partner' for long and Chuck will want him close too, so I picked up the other house. The last house well if things went wrong, then I wanted to have one in reserve in case I needed somewhere to stay. They were dirt cheep when you have a General's memo stating 'at cost' to hand to the auction department."

Casey grunted either a series of understanding grunts, or annoyance of various guns in private spaces. Right now even he wasn't sure. He knew the dream of a normal life was something that would never happen to him. "Walker I knew that Beckman gave you the house. I was in charge of the clean up. She called and told me not to bother removing some of the 'extras' such as the hidden gun safes and the emergency bunker we built downstairs for the moron in case we had to stash him in a hurry. I actually added a few things such as bullet proof windows and a soundproof bedroom."

Sarah was not sure if it was the wine or the way that Casey said it, but she felt the deep blush come to her cheeks and she stared down at the floor where three guns now lie at Casey's feet.

(Grunt#154 - oh what the heck )"When I pieced together that you got the house, I might have gotten a copy of the same memo and bought the one on the corner, to use as a safe house, or a get away from Barotowski when he was in extreme geek mode."

Sarah smiled. "Nerd" She knew that Casey would never admit it, but somewhere Chuck Bartowski turned this burned out, grumpy stone cold killer into a real person. Or at least a reasonable facsimile of one.

"I was just about to tell Chuck that I was not leaving when his Dad came over. I actually imagined that we would be spending tonight here as our first night of the rest of our lives. I stocked up on wine, arranged to have a great meal delivered…"she points at a bunch of bags sitting by the stove. "even supplies to make breakfast with. I was kind of hoping for another try for what almost happened in the hotel room when we were on the run, just before you and fulcrum ruined the day. Now I don't know. The way he took down those Ring agents, it wasn't the Chuck I know. And Bryce…" Sarah's voice trails off as she is staring at her drink. "Casey, do you think that he love someone like me, really?"

'clink' another gun slides out of his waistband and falls to the floor.

"You have got to be kidding. Walker. you can actually say that with a straight face. Since he met you, everything he does, he does it for you. Eating, breathing, taking a leak or a crap, he is so in love with you I would rather have bamboo chutes under my fingernails than listen to him moaning your name at nights."

A smile comes to her lips "He dreams about me?"

"Heck Walker when I knocked him out, his last words was "Tell Sarah I'm sorry". Which reminds me he is getting a tolerance to the mint, I'll have to find the strawberry, it's stronger."

"You should stop that, it might lead to brain damage and then try and explain that to the General. Besides then you will have to deal with me."

"What? I've had that stuff hundreds of times, it hasn't damaged my brain any."

"Casey, that is not a strong argument you know?"

"You want an argument, fine here is it. Sarah Walker, you are the best partner that I have ever worked with. You are professional, you are talented, and you are a putz because you are totally in love with a nerd from LA. And somehow you have found a way to do your job and have feelings that our profession tends to get us agents killed. But you – you somehow became an even better agent because of them. You are Bartowski are more alike then it seems. He never lost his ability to care. You had him find it for you again."

"Casey – Oh crap, that's deep. You feeling alright? How much did you have to drink before you came over?"

"Not much, just a bottle or twelve. Bartowski and I toasted each of my fallen men -betrayed by one of our own. Now if I were you I would go out to the Vic and take a look in the trunk. You have to some explaining to do and I need to head over to my new house and get some sleep." He gets up and drops the vic's keys on the chair, next to three guns that slipped out of various hiding places. "oh crap, that's right I had a couple in my crouch." He scratches his head "_where did the third one come from?"_

"Casey you didn't" Sarah grabs the keys and a little unsteady makes her way to the front door.

"Yepper Walker, I lied. Big surprise there. The NSA agent lying. You know, I don't think there is even a golf channel. Night Walker. Remember the bedroom is soundproof so make as much noise as you want. Oh and FYI the Karma Sutra was included in the download."

As he walks to the front door, he stops at the security alarm control box and punches in a long series of numbers. "_Ok Bartowski, a little present, audio/video recording – all household cameras – enable secure streaming…"_

As Sarah and Chuck stagger though their front door, the last thing that they observed was John Casey walking towards the house on the corner, raising a bottle of wine to the first ray of light to a new day and singing "J A Y N E, THE MAN THEY CALL J A Y N E…."


	2. The morning after

Hello All

First of all – usual disclaimers – I own only the shirt on my back, and that's when the wife is not around to hear me claim that.

Sorry I've not been around to bug you, or sling crap lately.

Life seriously just gets in the way sometimes. I have not left, but strange turns of events just drag me away.

Thanks to Jagged1 for her usual great beta of this chapter. As per usual I made small changes after she sent it back, and if I know when I would get a computer again, I would sent it for one last proof, but again life. The parts that are good, thank her.

I will try to answer whoever reviews, but my computer time is limited. I can't see the site from work anymore and project time at home has meant others at home have taken over the computer there. But when I do 1) reply to reviews then 2) type in the next crap and 3) try to catch up on my reading and review myself. Writing chapters out an iphone. Very new experience for me.

Anyways, I wanted to post this before the start of the third season for those who really wanted more of a CHARAH finish. When I missed the deadline, I thought I would rework it a little more before posting to fit better with the season opener. This takes place the night after he uploaded 2.0 and the meeting with Beckman that sends him off for spy training the next morning.

You really, really, really should re-read the short first chapter before you read the second. Now, I won't take some of Sarah's knives to your back and force you to…. But…..

--

Chuck slowly woke up and shielded his eyes from the bright, bright sun streaming through the Morgan door, and he looked around. He had the creepy feeling of déjà vu. Looking under the covers, he was in his PJs. This was his room, but there was something off, other than the worst hangover of his life.

Then the fog started to part and he remembered: Ellie's wedding, the Ring and finally the truth hit him like a ton of bricks - he downloaded the Intersect again.

He sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands, and not sure if he just made the best or worst decision of his life.

Then, something got his attention. On the chair beside the computer, was the first sign of hope - one neatly folded outfit belonging to his personal angel.

He slowly got up, and once his head stopped spinning, he made his way towards the smell of breakfast food cooking on the stove.

"Morning, Chuck." Sarah Walker, dressed only in a pair of underwear and his t-shirt, was putting the last of the finishing touches on two breakfast plates and motioned for Chuck to have a seat at the counter, right next to the aspirn and a big glass of water**.**

Not able to keep the smile off his face, he did as the sexy spy wanted.

"Good morning, sweetheart. How are you this morning?"

Just barely keeping a straight face, he mouthed, "You cooked?"

"Ha ha ha, very funny. If you are trying to be a comedian, don't quit your day job."

Suddenly, Sarah's eyes opened wide. "Insert foot in mouth this morning, I guess. Yes, well, you already know I can cook an egg and have not burned the toast too much." She brought the food over to the table and sat down. "I thought that letting you sleep in a little and a good breakfast might help start the day off right, at least until the conference with the General."

Chuck sat across from her at the table. "I take it that I have you to thank for getting me home last night. I'm sure that Casey would want to just drop me off a bridge somewhere."

Then all the color went out of his face. "Oh crap, Sarah, please, please, oh pretty-pretty please, tell me you didn't…Uumm… put me in my PJs last night?"

Smiling to herself, and with a little red in her cheeks, she watched Chuck squirm until he looked like he was going to pee in his pants. Taking an incredibly long drink of her coffee, she tried not to look him in the eyes.

Finally, when he looked like he was going to die of embarrassment, she admitted what had happened.

"Sorry to tell you this, Chuck, but....."

Sarah looked directly into Chuck's face, and when he started turning a lovely shade of blue, she spoke.

"The only help from me was laying your pjs beside you. When I came back from the bathroom, you were already changed and under the covers. -. I just slept beside you until I heard Casey come home next door, and that woke me up and I came out here."

Chuck started breathing again. "So we didn't..."

Sarah's smile grew a little coy as her thoughts about last night surfaced.

_Half carrying, half dragging themselves through the front door of the suburban house, they crumbled into a pile onto the couch. They both stretched out looking at the ceiling, for how long she was not sure. Chuck was drifting in and out of consciousness, thanks to the scotch and the tranq that Casey was nice enough to give him earlier._

"_Sarah?"_

"_Yes, Chuck?"_

"_I love you, and guess what, you don't have to say it back." Chuck had a half-drugged smile on his face._

"_Really, great to know... and I love you too, Chuck."_

_Chuck's smile became bigger and goofier. "Sarah, can I tell you something?" he asked, as he turned on his side toward her._

_Sarah shifted to look at him. "Of course."_

"_Sarah, never try to drink Casey under the table. That man is a scotch-sponge. I don't know how he does it."_

_Giggling, Sarah leaned over and kissed her nerd. "I'm more than a little tipsy myself there, mister."_

_And in one graceful motioned she pointed out all the wine bottles scattered over the living room, all with the necks chopped off with her knives._

_A sad look spread across Chuck's face. "Sarah, I'm sorry. I'm too drunk., It's not right to take advantage of you when I'm reallllly drunk."_

_Tears started forming in Sarah's eyes. "Can you tell me why?" _

_Chuck looked straight ahead. "I'm sorry I have too much respect for you, and really for women in general," Chuck's glazed eyes looked Sarah's way. " Besides why are there two of you and how could anyone choose…"_

_Sarah tried to give him a playful punch to the shoulder, but she was at least three bottles over limit amd she got him square in the jaw. In Chuck's current state, he only stopped talking and seemed not to notice._

"_That's not what I mean, sweetie, Can you tell me why you did it again? We were free, we could be normal." Sarah tears flowed unhindered now and she laid her head on Chuck's chest and listened to his heart pounding, she hoped because of her._

_It was Chuck's turn to blink back his tears when he felt his shirt moisten.. "I realized that being normal means losing you. Maybe normal would be good for you for now, but eventually they are going to come after me, or you or my dad, or someone else close to me. They'll try to collect on a past debt or worse. This life... our life… we will never be free of this thing in my head, even if it's not there, it's there. I love you, Sarah, and I want this to be a two way relationship. If that means that I have to grow a pair like Casey keeps complaining about, then so be it."_

"_Wow, Chuck that is... wow, that made my head hurt." Sarah started running her hands through Chuck's hair. "I want you to know something; what you did was incredibly stupid, and the bravest thing I ever saw anyone do. And I'm not talking about the guys you took out. Thank you for doing that for me, but please remember that Casey is wrong. You are a hero."_

"_Chuck?"_

_The drugs had taken effect again and he was out like a light. Gazing at his serene features, she knew that the next few days she might have to take her nerd and run, but for now she snuggled up and just before she fell into a very peaceful sleep she muttered "You're my hero" ._

"Sarah?"

Snapping back from her memories of the night before, she looked at her hero. "Sorry, Chuck, I spaced out for a second. What was the question?"

"Did we..?."

Smiling shyly, she glanced at him. "We only slept. Casey brought you to me and we slept for a couple of hours at… my place. Then, I brought you back to the apartment since I know you were supposed to meet the Awesomes so that you can drive them to the airport. They should be back from their hotel soon since their plane leaves in six hours, and this is Ellie."

Looking relieved, Chuck let out a breath. "Good, I would hate not remembering the most important night of my life..."

Taking his hand in hers, she looked at his brown eyes. "Chuck, over the next few hours there will be a lot happening, and I have to admit that...(taking a deep breath) I have to admit that I am …worried about you and what Beckman wants to do next. But know this: whatever happens, one day we will be together in a home, with Ellie and Awesome living beside us, and maybe even Morgan and Anna across the street. Much closer than I would like, but your other life partner..."

Sarah stopped, realizing what she just let slip. Quickly, she added, "I would even bet an old retired Casey would be at the house on the end of the street, listening into all the phone conversations and tapping his cane on the ground muttering about marks speaking up so he can hear."

Laughing, Chuck didn't take his eyes off of hers. "It sounds like heaven. Except for the Casey eavesdropping thing, that is just plain C R E E P Y."

"I think it will all happen someday, Chuck. But for now, we should call this _our_ normal."

Minutes passed, neither taking their eyes off of each other, and neither having the grin come off their face; that is until Sarah heard Chuck's tummy rumbling and started laughing.

"Now, let's say we eat before our food gets any colder. You have some choices to make. The sooner you talk to Beckman, the sooner you get answers."

Leaning over, Chuck kissed Sarah on the cheek. "No Sarah, 'We' not 'you'. I cannot live without you. Without you I only exist. Thank you for being my angel."

--

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Thanks


	3. After the dinner at Ellie's, end of S3

Found this on my hard drive. Never really liked it, but I did even promise, so here it is.

Takes place at the end of season 3 final episode, when Chuck is at his fathers.

I own nothing

1010101010

She cautiously approached the house, she kept the car lights off and coasted to a stop..

She knew that she had been made even before she turned down the street. She didn't care. Her life was over and this could very well be the final nail in her coffin.

She got out of her Porsche and placed her gun and all her knives on the seat. She grabbed the bag from the passengers seat and walked up the steps of the darken house.

Not even bothering to knock, she pushed the door open and looked for him.

(GRUNT-332) DRUNK.

"Hello to you to Col? Care for a drink." She reached into the bag and pulled out some 100 year old scotch.

"Where's the nerd? And I don't need your version of Dr. Phil right now. Just leave me alone Walker."

Instead she went further into the house, amused by the fact that the only thing in the house seemed to be cases upon cases of alcohol and the standard issue NSA bunker furniture.

Sighing, she grabbed a small crate of wine and after she removed the 'GUNS AND BABES' magazines, she sat down next to her ex-partner who has yet to even look at her.

"Casey, honestly we both know why he did it. And yes I'm going with him. I love him John and if he needs to leave the CIA then I'm am too." Walker stared at the crushed man in front of her. She then reached over and grabbed two shot glasses from the bag. "Listen we were the best. I don't think he wants to leave any more than I do, but he made a promise to Ellie. But your getting reassigned is not why you are here, is it."

Casey took his best scotch and handed it to Sarah to pour the drinks. "I bought this place for when I retire, now might just be the right time."

To her credit she does not smile, but she will like the fact that she can tell Chuck "I told you so." when she got back to their apartment. She passed the drink over "Well then I guess it's for the best, all of us going out on top."

Then raise their glasses and downed the scotch.

"Do you think it is too late?" he asks

"I don't know. I thought we could be spies and live the American dream, but that's not going to happen. And I think that maybe I can live with that."

"After Europe, I thought you wanted both." Casey handed over the glass for a refill.

"We both did then, but with Chuck's dad dying, and Ellie's reaction. And they you and your daughter…" Sarah passed over the bottle to Casey.

"What about Alex." Casey took a swig.

"She didn't even know you and she was in danger just because of you being her father and then her mother. John I … I want a family. Chuck has done that to me. He made me want a family with him and I don't know if I can do that to our children. Even you leaving didn't keep them safe."

Casey stared a long time at his glass before he nodded "We both have some huge skeletons in our closets."

Sarah got up and grabbed Casey by the hand and pulled him to his feet.

"Come on Casey, you have to go see Alex's mom and put things right and I need to sit down with Ellie. Beckman gave us the OK for the basic stuff. It's time for us to come out of the cold government shadow and get use to the warmth of a family again."

As the head towards the door Sarah stopped and turned to him "John I've never had a big brother, but both Chuck and I really consider you family. Whatever happens remember this. You will always have us."

Casey again nodded and they head out. "So are you too going to move here now?"

She looked towards their home. "I don't know yet. Things are so up in the air that I don't know; Chuck actually went over to the place he grew up in tonight. It would not surprise me that he might want to start over there. When he left he told Morgan something about a phoenix rising from the ashes. I'm not sure what that meant but then I don't understand what they are talking about half the time."

He sat in the passengers' seat as Sarah moved the weapons off hers. "Your not going to give those back are you?"

Sarah smiled "No, how about the guns, the crown vic or the Regan poster?"

"Beckman will have to pry it out of my cold dead hands."


	4. Reflections from the Balcony

A/N

This takes place just after they arrest Sarah in Episode 11, Season 4, so in the last few minutes of the episode.

10101010101010

Sarah looked up from the bench as she heard someone approaching.

John Casey opened the door to Walker's cell and leaned against the door jam, threading a cigar through his fingers..

"I cut the feed so this little chat is as private as we can get. You want to tell him the truth now, or do you want to make my life a living hell since it will take the nerd weeks to figure out you and the General have something up your sleeves."

Sarah shrugged. "I knew that you would see through this. Thank you for not blowing the whistle on me. Chuck's reaction had to be real to believe it on the tapes. Can you make him see it's for the best? I need to be the one who does this."

Casey grunted. "Well, he won't understand. I think I get the gist of this long shot op. You're going to try to bring back his mom. You are going to risk your relationship with the one person that made you a better person. He is going to see it as you leaving the same way as his mom did. Bad move in my opinion, from all angles, it's not the right play. We are a team. Running solo is not the smart move here."

"It's not my plan. it's the General's. Listen Casey, I will do anything for him, and right now, even if he will not admit it to himself, he wants to save his mom. He said he can wait, but we all know it's always on his mind. He wants it for himself and he wants it for Ellie. I want this for him. And the only way to do that is to go back to what I was, just for a while and to bring her out. That means I have to take them down." Sarah grabs John's hands with her shackled wrists. "Take care of him for me, John; make him understand that he's my life."

"Walker, for how long? Frost said the same thing when she abandoned her husband, her children, in order to take them down, and so far what has been accomplished? Nothing as far as I can see. Nothing except for a lot of Bartowski heartache. They both love you, Walker, that's something rare for a spy to have once in their life, and they BOTH love you. This is one knife to the heart that I'm not sure the nerd can get over."

Casey turned and started to head out.

"Casey, wait. No matter what happens to me, promise me you will look after Chuck!" Sarah's voice came across as cold yet quiet.

Casey knew that tone. She thought she was doing what's right. There was no reasoning with her. She was a spy on a mission and that mission involved what she thought would make Bartowski happy.

"When will you realize the best thing for him would always be you?"

"Casey, I need you to help him understand. I'm doing this for him, and he's not going to lose me."

He turned again to face her and grunted an affirmative. "You are the best partner I ever had Walker, Just come back to Chuck the same person that left. Don't let whatever happened to his mom happen to you. You owe me a case of scotch for taking care of the nerd. Both him and his bearded shadow. You know what Walker, make that two cases and a case of cigars if you are anywhere where they have decent ones."

Turning around again, he was face to face with a stern looking General. Years of training made the salute happen without thought.

"Colonel Casey, I assumed it was Bartowski that had turned off the security feeds. Is everything Okay here."

"Yes General, I'll be on my way."

"Colonel, leave the feeds off until I tell you otherwise."

"Yes, General."

Upon arriving at the monitoring station, he notices Chuck hunched in the chair, ring box in his hand.

_Casey grunted. 'M__aybe I can't get through to Walker, but maybe if he actually came to me instead of the Morgan, then this whole proposal op would have gone without a hitch and she might not be doing this. Oh crap, look at him, he looks like someone broke his favorite gun. Time to give him a push in the right direction. I've got just the story for it.'_

1010101010

Normally I wait until the end of the season to put one of these out, but there was something about this that screamed at me.

Usual disclaimers apply.

Thanks to jagged1 for the beta.

Nuff said

JC


	5. Crossroads and Red Tests

_A/N_

_This happens at the same time Chuck is entering the Buy More at the end of the last episode of season four._

And without further ado...

10101010101010

She pulled up in front of the little brick house with the white picket fence.

It really did look totally different in the bright light of mid day.

It was not hard to tell that the fence and the brick was re-enforced enough to almost stop a tank. She waved at the security cams, and just for fun parked in driveway, right behind a Crown Vic someone seemed to be restoring.

She reached into the back seat and grabbed the unusually large bottle of scotch she bought back from her honeymoon. A smile across her face as she admired again the light reflecting off the rings on her finger. Smiling brighter, she walked around to the back door and just before her ring finger rang the doorbell.

"It's open BARTOWSKI!" The sound of the Grunt master in full drill instructor voice.

Opening the door, she easily spotted Casey as he stood in a kitchen filled with boxes that it was obvious that he obviously had not been unpacking over the last two weeks. He grunted again and nodded towards the two shot glasses on the counter.

"So did I win the bet?" Casey asked as he pulled two bar stools up to the counter.

"Sorry John, we never once thought about going off grid, and we did leave the room, once or twice." Sarah opened the bottle in their traditional way; one of her knives appeared in her hand and sliced off the top of the bottle in one clean motion.

She looked around as she started to pour. "You had to paint it this drab colour. I take it no one knows about this place but us still." Sarah looked out the window at their house. The one that she and Chuck stayed in when they did the suburbs mission. Except for Casey, no one knew that she bought that house in case she needed to disappear suddenly. Right now she realized that the lawn was cut and that new security cameras had been placed around the new fence. _"Casey you will never change"_ She thought.

"I heard from Beckman, the CIA insisted that her superiors give me a PFO letter for helping you. She tried to get us all turned over to the NSA, but right now the CIA is threatening to cut off all ties with the if that happens." Casey took the glass and after they raised the glasses both shot gunned.

Sarah refilled the glasses; she asked casually "Not unexpected. Decker really didn't like you, almost as much as he hated Chuck. Anything you want to share?"

Casey down another glass put it on the table with enough force that Sarah thought that it must have surely cracked at least. "No" and he refilled.

Sarah suddenly thought it best to let the topic alone. "How did the cats fare?"

"Carina and Zonda got off with a slap on the wrist since they followed Chuck's plan of saying that they were duped by him." Casey reached over and opened a drawer with the only thing that seemed to be in it was what he grabbed. "Carina wanted me to give you this. Both of their numbers are pre programmed. They got sent off in opposite directions on what I suspect are long term deep cover assignments."

Sarah nodded and put the phone in her pocket. "When we went to the apartment Morgan said that you left right after the wedding and except for a few stop-bys, haven't spent much time there."

"Needed some time to think so I came here to be alone, but not too far away from Alex. Need to plan what to do with my life now. I asked to be returned to my unit, but the NSA will not allow me to rejoin my old unit. Beckman at least arranged for me to be honourable discharged it I can get a pension. I was thinking maybe I might take over the bar across from the hospital. It went up for sale last month and I use to go there when your boy toy got too annoying."

Sarah and Casey shotgun another and then Casey got up and opened another drawer and pulled out an envelope and handed it to her.

"This is not to be seen by your girly other half. I'm thinking about contacting some people I know in Brazil, that Decker crossed paths with. I figured that is the place to start if we want back in, we need something on him first. Know your enemy Walker. If you do not hear from me in a month, give that to Alex. Make sure that the bearded buffoon treats her right."

Sarah shook her head and was about to speak when her cell beeped with a text message.

'_You found the big guy?"_

She looked hard at Casey as he finished another scotch. The plan was for the end of the week, but she decided now is better. "Hey Casey, I have an idea, want to come to the Buy More with me. Chuck is headed over there now."

"_Duh?"_ she texted as she spoke.

"Buy more. Someone bought it from the NSA. Beckman could not keep it once the operation closed down." Casey looked at the glass "I guess I could still work there, the records still shows me as the best salesperson for the beast master around. I do have an in with the currant manager."

"_So that's a yes or no?" _the phone beeped again.

"Come on Casey, I know Ellie is expecting ALL of us for a welcome back feast tonight. And I do not want to be the one to tell Ellie you missed supper just because you miss your guns" She grinned at the look that he gave her.

Getting up she took the letter and then replaced it in the drawer, then fished out a key and placed it beside the letter. "We will talk about this later, Ok. But I promise you that if anything happens to you, Chuck and I both will make sure Morgan does the right thing. It's what partners do for each other, right?"

They stare at each other for a second and just as Casey was about to speak, the cell phone beeped again.

"_Yooouuu hoooo, anyone there?__ DYK Lester can make playing Pac Man actually look like he is doing work."_

Grunting Casey went around and started closing all the windows. Sarah stepped into the living room and texted back "_meet u in Castle. We have to do it now. Plans to go after ykw_." Sarah noticed the huge stack of empty boxes in the corner. The smell of the gun oil was faint, but there.

Two seconds later "_Will call Morgan, let's do this. Autobots Transform!" _was on her screen._  
_

"_HUH" _Sarah shook her head. She remembered that Chuck really got excited when he found out that the flight movies was something called TRANSFORMERS one and two. She fell asleep not long after the first movie started. She had a feeling that Chuck kept saying he movie lines most of the trip back.

"_OK. Awesome movie. Fri nite movie a thon!" _The phone beeped, then followed by '; )'

She exited the back door and after Casey locked it and set his security system, Sarah looped his arm though hers.

"Walker, you got to get that goofy smile off your face. You look like a love struck teenager. Don't tell me that his chocolate in your peanut butter finally created a sandwich?" Casey however made no attempt to free himself as they walked arm in arm towards her car.

Sarah laughed again "Sorry, you're not an Uncle John, yet. But practice does make perfect."

Casey shuddered and they stopped by the drivers' door when Sarah turned "Think about this Mr. John Casey. Right now, right this minute we are not spies. We have done something right in the world for it to give us a second chance to live the American dream. How many people in our line of work get to say that? Enjoy the moment; we both know it won't last. We both been around long enough to know the truth; we are already on the list to become red tests. So rather we want to or not, starting after supper, we need to be alert and ready for whatever the CIA throws at us. I've only been a Bartowski for two weeks, and I have no nerd references or a computer in my head. But I already suspect that life is about to get interesting again. I don't know about you, but Chuck has made me want that dream. But don't think that either of us are expecting to live it without a few more bedtime stories to tell the children about."

Casey opened the door for her and then walked over to the other side and got in.

"Can the kid talk Bartowski; You might give Morgan an idea. You know how he imitates his 'life partner' and I'm too young for grandchildren."

Sarah drives off and after a few minutes of silence, Casey muttered"I have a dinner date with Alex's mom on Friday. Morgan wants to give me dating dry run with Alex playing her mother, I think that is about as interesting as I want things to get for the next twenty four hours."

Sarah gave an honest to goodness belly laugh at the thought. Turning to her partner that had a little smile formed, all she could say "no promises partner. Day's not over by a long shot yet."

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Thanks for reading, and please consider leaving a review for anything you read here. Good or bad, most writers like anything constructive.

Now updates on the other stories.

Chuckies Angels – re-write just about finished. Due to recent circumstances I reworked the ending. Ok, I ripped it to bits and completely changed it.

Mind's Eye – I felt it important to ask permission of Nik, wife of Armadillo for permission to continue. I only recently received it. I also wanted permission again from WEP, since AP is technically his, and after a recent question of 'creative' writing, I wanted to re-affirm I had that too.

Still waiting for that one. If I get it I will post again. If not I will be doing some serious reworking with AI and no AP. To finish the season at least.

Usual disclaimers apply, I own nothing in the Chuck Universe. I have a beagle called Cassey, but that's another story.

Thank you to Doc in Oz for taking the time to look over this for me. One of these I will get down under and we'll start a few beers for beta program!

Until next time my crap flies!

JC


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